E: Thanks for taking the time to talk about your experience on Impossible Horror!

C: Of course, it’s my pleasure.

E: So you came onto the Impossible Horror project just after we had started production, and you took on the role of Hannah. What was it like to join a project already in progress and how did you get up to speed so quickly with your character?

C: It was pretty exciting to join a project already in the works, it meant I didn’t have to worry too much about any pre-production stuff, and I was just thrown right into the nitty gritty. Catching up wasn’t too difficult as long as I didn’t overthink anything, just listen to direction and try to read the script as quickly as humanly possible.

E: Had you trained previously for the action scenes you were asked to do? How did you prepare?

C: No previous training as far as actual fight choreography goes. Preparation ended up boiling down to just listening as carefully as I could to Alex and the other fight choreographers, taking things half speed when needed and always being aware of where the camera was to make sure everything looked good.

E: And what was it like to work with fight choreographer Alex Chung on the action sequences?

C: The scenes with Alex were the most exciting to film, those guys made me look good by really selling all the punches and kicks. Certainly made me look a hell of a lot tougher than I actually am.

E: What would you do to prepare each night before filming? Did you have any techniques you’d use to warm up?

C: I think the only consistent preparation was making sure I was actually getting enough sleep during the day so I could stay awake all night. I think as soon as I got to apartment every night during the bulk of filming I got into “shooting mode,” so really just getting into that mindset of (attempting) to be as professional as possible.

E: You’ve been extremely dedicated to Impossible Horror from the get-go, helping out with the crowdfunding campaign, coming in to re-record lines, even making sure that your character’s continuity was always on point. What does being part of this project mean to you?

C: This project means quite a bit to me as I’ve been on several film sets before, but always in the periphery, whereas on this set I truly felt like a part of the team. It was exciting to be working with people who I trusted, whose work I had seen and enjoyed in the past and have them also trust in me to perform. Plus who doesn’t love staying awake all night and slowly losing their mind!

E: What was the hardest thing you faced during the shoot and how did you overcome it?

C: I think first adjusting to the sleep schedule was the most difficult thing to get used to, and then just attempting to push through the bout of exhaustion that would inevitably come every night. That along with trying to stay on task when everyone was delusionally tired was probably the most difficult thing to overcome. E: What was your favourite scene to shoot? And what was your least favourite? Why?

C: My favourite scene to shoot was the playground scene with Alex, and all the other stunt choreographers. It was certainly the most badass I felt on set. For me the worst scene was shooting the climax, only because it was so damn sticky. Along with the fact that we shot it after the bulk of shooting so I think I was out of that “shooting mindset” and the idea of filling my hair with oatmeal and black goo was no longer exciting.

E: What was the best experience you had on set?

C: Showering after shooting the climax. Seriously, it was so fucking sticky. But also most nights were a ton of fun, and full with laughs and a lot of screams.

“We’re ready to take on the world and help to bring independent Canadian cinema into the international spotlight,” says producer Emily Milling. “Bigger budget Canadian films are often passed over in favour of American productions in film festivals, leaving independent Canadian productions with very little chance to be seen. We’re getting the opportunity to show off the talent that exists in Canada and we are extremely grateful to bring our film to SF Indie’s “Another Hole In The Head” Film Festival in San Francisco.”

In 2016, “Canadians produced only 71 fiction features in 2015/16 (a 10-year low)” (source) primarily due to an increasing interest in television and broadcast media in Canada, but this gives independent productions like Impossible Horror an opportunity to stand out on the international film circuit.

“My hope is that we can help to shine a light on the exceptional, creative products that independent filmmakers are developing in Canada,” says Milling. “Our friends and colleagues in Toronto work so hard, many of us with full-time jobs trying to produce films on the side with little to no-budget. The more that independent Canadian cinema is seen, the more I know we’ll see increased investment and interest in the medium.”

In Impossible Horror, Lily (Haley Walker), an insomniac filmmaker who is facing a crippling creative block begins to hear a sinister scream ring outside her window every night. Convinced that she must find the source of the scream, Lily heads into the darkness of her neighborhood and meets Hannah (Creedance Wright), a veteran scream hunter, close to finding an answer. The women quickly team up to solve the mystery, encountering unsettling silent figures and terrifying apparitions that ultimately lead them to an otherworldly threat that is driving its victims into madness.

Original and inventive, director/writer Justin Decloux explores the pain and frustrations of creative blocks with this horror allegory. Through Lily and Hannah’s pursuit of answers and inspiration in a world where creative resources are scarce, this story invites us to imagine the monsters we conjure ourselves, coming to life.

Impossible Horror was Written by Justin Decloux and Nate Wilson, Directed by Justin Decloux and Produced by Emily Milling and Nate Wilson. Cast includes Haley Walker, Creedance Wright, April Etmanski, Alex Chung, Adelina Pipher and Aleks Vujosevic. Director of Photography is Aidan Tanner, Editor is Justin Decloux and Composer is Emily Milling. Produced through CANMAKE Productions. Executive Producers Lindsey Boehme and Brooklyn Boehme.